Merriam-Webster's dictionary defines it as "political propaganda promulgated chiefly in literature, drama, music, or art." Despite its Russian roots, American writers and tweeters have adopted it to the 21st century, usually to accuse someone of promoting a specific ideology.

Agitprop is short for agitatsiya propaganda, according to Encyclopedia Britannica. It's a two-pronged approach to political influence inspired by Marxist thinkers: The propaganda part, Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin described, pushes the social and political factors behind an idea; agitation, the encyclopedia said, is "the use of political slogans and half-truths to exploit the grievances of the public and thereby mold public opinion and mobilize public support."

Google Trends shows search interest in agitprop over the last five years has come mostly from Russia, followed by the Unites States and Britain.

In 2012, Fox News hinted whether the themes in The Dark Knight Rises qualified it as "Hollywood liberal agitprop." Last month, the New York Times, in introducing new columnist Bret Stephens, quoted Stephens as once saying, "Opinion journalism is still journalism, not agitprop."